The spoilt child that is THINGS has finally decided to be nice and share…

At It’s Nice That this Christmas it feels a little like all our denied childhood requests for early presents have been been answered, all at once, and a little late. But this really makes up for all the sympathy socks my nan has given me over the years (sorry nan!). The pile of presents has been building high over the past week and we are now ready to share our favourites with our favourites…Yeah, you! Merry Christmas!

Decoy Shopping Bags

Decoy Shopping Bags

Decoy Shopping Bags

Decoy Shopping Bags

Decoy Shopping Bags

Decoy Shopping Bags

Don’t give away where you did all your Christmas shopping this year. The element of surprise is a vital element to a truly effective pressie. These bags are like a secret agents gadget but just a little less technical, tapping into all the cliches of shop designs they have added an undeniable charm to this simple and brilliant idea.

BOB Design: Rejoice!

BOB Design: Rejoice!

BOB Design: Rejoice!

BOB Design: Rejoice!

BOB Design: Rejoice!

Rejoice!

Thanks to the merry souls at BOB Design for this helpful alternative wrapping method. Using this snazzy bag and a hoover you can avoid displaying your horrific paper wrapping skills on those big tricky items. My Dad could probably do with one of these this year to avoid the annual wrapping criticisms he is normally showered with. We love this and will make sure to good use this winter. www.bobdesign.co.uk

Thomas Slater: Christmas in a Cafe

Thomas Slater: Christmas in a Cafe

Thomas Slater: Christmas in a Cafe

Thomas Slater: Christmas in a Cafe

Thomas Slater: Christmas in a Cafe

Christmas in a Cafe

Thomas Slater has thrown a great card our way this Christmas (along with a one of a kind Post-It note doodle) reminding us that if Santa is allowed breaks for coffee, then so are we! There’s just nothing like the weeks winding down to christmas, So like him, chuck your fluffy hat on the table and kick back with something to read. Allow the fast pace of Christmas to pass you by and chuckle at the people that let all their presents till the last minute. Unless you haven’t finished, If that is the case wish wish you lots of luck in the battlefield that is your local high street.www.thomasslaterillustrator.com

Tsto — :)

Tsto — :)

Tsto — :)

Tsto — :)

Tsto — :)

Tsto — :)

This one we were very happy to be a part of. A book sent all the way from Tsto in Finland exploring 99 responses to the smiley. The book is a visual investigation into the reasons why the symbol, made of a colon and a closed bracket, have found a comfy space in todays colloquial dictionary. This beautiful book had me smiling from ear to ear from start to finish. Definitely one worth trying to find in the January sales!www.tsto.org

David’s Christmas sock puppet challenge

David’s Christmas sock puppet challenge

David’s Christmas sock puppet challenge

David’s Christmas sock puppet challenge

David’s Christmas sock puppet challenge

David’s Christmas sock puppet challenge

I wouldn’t suggest dousing this one with alcohol and setting it alight. Photographer David Sykes has sent us a great image of what looks like a not very tasty christmas pudding as well as a rather alarming “creative challenge”. We have been asked to create our own father sockmas. The results are as shown…www.davidsykes.com

SM/WT: Bespoke Beers

SM/WT: Bespoke Beers

SM/WT: Bespoke Beers

SM/WT: Bespoke Beers

SM/WT: Bespoke Beers

Studio Makgill: SM/WT Bespoke Beers

And finally to end this festive Things, we were given a great boozy present from our pals at Studio Makgill. These beautiful bespoke beers are a setting a really great example for alternative packaging design. A beautiful minimal logo has been cast into the smooth contrasting material set around the neck and shoulders of the bottle. I’m having one of those “I wish I thought of that gift”…moments. www.studiomakgill.com

It is no news that November has been a month of some drastic ups and downs. Around the world we’ve experienced great changes and losses over the past four weeks, but thankfully we received a range of uplifting, insightful and encouraging pieces of post through our letterbox making us a smile, even if we were feeling a little uncertain or just a little grumpy from the cold. From advent calendars that introduced the excitement of Christmas, to publications on food, cinema and typography, and even an album that got the studio dancing, here is November’s Things.h3. Mr Bingo’s Advent Calendar

This month the postman’s trip to 21 Downham Road was accompanied by a heavy satchel. Over September there was a running theme of publications making their way through out letterbox. From Risoprinted zines and colouring books, to nostalgic hardback anthologies and mammoth photographic journals, limited edition records and prints, there was plenty for the It’s Nice That team to flick through and marvel over. September’s Things is a celebration of printed matter we were more than lucky to receive. h3. Dean Chalkley: One

Sifting through the mountainous cache of postal delights this month made for very sweaty work, with the hot summer sun lingering long into the day. It was an absolute delight to kick back in the shade of the studio and enjoy the host of creative, printed delights you sent us.

Throughout July we were sent a mass of incredible work to keep us busy and cheerful through this whirlwind of weather we appear to be having. This month we whittled it down to our ten favourites including a stack of incredibly intricate zines, catalogues of furniture, children’s books that can be appreciated by all, and some hilariously topical illustration… h3. Sarah Tanat Jones: Make America Hate Again

Once again, the postbox was a veritable cornucopia overflowing with creative goodies this month, and we can’t thank you enough. It is always a delight to see what bold, brilliant and occasionally absurd pieces of work come through our door to brighten up our morning. But this does always makes it impossible to narrow it down to our 10 favourite pieces, so hard in fact this month we lost the ability to count and ended up settling on 11!

It was another strong month of post here at the It’s Nice That office, with a lot of high quality pieces of work added to our vast and growing collection of Things. This made it a hard decision to narrow it down to just ten pieces to feature, so we tried to select a healthy mix of creatives disciplines across a variety of forms: from published magazines, books, a print, a miniature sculpture and exciting projects from blossoming new talent. As ever, thanks to everyone who sent us lovely packages, creative work and letters. At the risk of turning into hoarders, keep it coming! It’s always exciting to see what we unwrap next. h3. Charlotte Reeve: OSUN